What an offseason it has been for all 30 clubs in Major League Baseball. Some clubs have made big-time free agent splashes, while others have quietly gone under the radar and did not make the same headlines as the bigger market teams.
Let’s recap the MLB offseason thus far, and by doing so let’s rank the five “winners” of the MLB offseason to this date.
MLB offseason winner: 5. Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies had quite the offseason, which is why they are on this list. The reigning National League champions headlined their winter work by signing superstar shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year deal worth $300 million. To add to their already stacked lineup, Philadelphia installed a replacement for rookie Bryson Stott, and his replacement just happens to be a perennial MVP candidate.
Philadelphia did not only just sign Turner, but also inked former New York Met Taijuan Walker to a four-year contract and traded for flame-throwing lefty reliever Gregory Soto. The Phillies are coming off a magic carpet ride to the Fall Classic where they fell just short, and they may have very well turned an 87-win team into a National League titan this winter.
MLB offseason winner: 4. New York Yankees
You expected this, and they delivered. The 27-time World Series champion New York Yankees have to be on this list, in large part due to the signing they absolutely needed to make. After setting a record with 62 home runs and earning an American League Most Valuable Player award to boot, Aaron Judge signed a nine-year contract worth $360 million.
Not only did New York keep their most threatening offensive weapon in the Bronx, they also added a perennial Cy Young award candidate Carlos Rodón to the mix. After winning 99 games in the previous season, adding these two players to their roster solidifies the Bronx Bombers as the fourth-best offseason this winter.
MLB offseason winner: 3. Houston Astros
The defending World Series champions got a whole lot better this winter. Is that even possible? Yes it is. The 107-win Houston ball club that went on to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in six exciting games in the Fall Classic did not lose much. In fact, they added 2020 MVP José Abreu. Houston’s top of the lineup in some order will be José Altuve, Jeremy Peña, Yordan Álvarez, Alex Bregman, Abreu, and Kyle Tucker. The Astros did not have to do much to keep their star-studded team in tact, securing them a spot on this ranking.
MLB offseason winner: 2. New York Mets
Despite the Carlos Correa fallout, the New York Mets still had quite the offseason. Adding Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga certainly helps, and boosting the lineup with a bat in retaining Brandon Nimmo keeps their National League East title hopes alive. New York also resigned their star closer Edwin Díaz, solidifying their bullpen for 2023.
There are so many names that the Mets added or retained this winter that there are too many to recap in this ranking, but know that New York will most certainly be a Major League tycoon in the 2023 season.
MLB offseason winner: 1. San Diego Padres
A.J. Preller is at it again. Just months later after adding Juan Soto to their lineup, San Diego added another star bat to their talented roster. After whiffing on Aaron Judge and Trea Turner, the Padres signed Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year contract.
Add the star shortstop to a lineup consisting of Matt Carpenter, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth, among others, and it is easy to see why many are tabbing San Diego as the team to beat in the top heavy National League West, securing them the top spot on this edition of the top 5 winners of the 2022-2023 MLB offseason.